Ballistic shield support undergarments

ABSTRACT

The ballistic shield support undergarments are undergarments for use by soldiers, tactical personnel and the like, providing comfortable support for ballistic shielding, without limiting the wearer&#39;s dexterity or freedom of movement. The ballistic shield support undergarments include both underpants and an undershirt, preferably worn as a set. The pair of undershorts include a waist portion and a pair of leg portions, as is conventionally known. A pair of pockets are provided, with each pocket being secured to a respective one of the leg portions by stitching or the like. A pair of ballistic shields, such as small arms protective inserts (SAPIs) or the like, are further provided, with each ballistic shield being removably received within a respective one of the pockets. Each pocket is positioned on the respective leg portion so that the respective ballistic shield received therein covers the wearer&#39;s femoral artery.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/282,045, filed Dec. 7, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to undergarments and body armor, andparticularly to underpants and undershirts having pockets for receivingballistic shielding.

2. Description of the Related Art

Gunshot wounds and fragmentation from incendiary explosive devices (IED)to the femoral artery of the human body are typically fatal. Body armorhas existed for many years, but typically only covers the user's chest.Often, law enforcement officers who conduct raids are required to leavetheir desks without forewarning or time to properly prepare. These lawenforcement officers typically do not wear bulletproof garments while intheir offices, performing other tasks. These officers must be able toquickly put on bulletproof garments in order to protect themselves whenconducting a raid or the like. Similarly, military personnel may becalled into active combat at a moment's notice, and must be able toapply body armor and shielding quickly and easily, preferably in amanner, which still allows for total body mobility.

Thousands of soldiers have been wounded, killed, or lost lower limbs inbattlefields due to hits to their unprotected lower bodies. Vascularinjuries to the lower abdomen and lower extremities carry a highmortality rate. In a recent study, it was found that of 600 patientswith penetrating trauma to the iliac vessels and femoral arteries, 39%of the patients died within 30 days of injury. In certain cases ofpenetrating trauma to the iliac vessels, cardiac arrest occurred withinsix minutes to eight minutes of impact.

A need exists for body armor which is ready for use almost instantly,and which provides protection for the femoral artery, the femoral arterypath, and the lower spine. Such body armor should also preferably belight and flexible so that a user may easily wear the armor, withoutlosing flexibility or dexterity. Thus, a ballistic shield supportundergarments solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The ballistic shield support undergarments are undergarments for use bysoldiers, tactical personnel and the like, providing comfortable supportfor ballistic shielding without limiting the wearer's dexterity orfreedom of movement. The ballistic shield support undergarments includeboth underpants and an undershirt, preferably worn as a set.

The pair of undershorts includes a waist portion and a pair of legportions, as is conventionally known. A pair of pockets are provided,with each pocket being secured to a respective one of the leg portionsby stitching or the like. A pair of ballistic shields, such as smallarms protective inserts (SAPIs), level IIIA ballistic covers or thelike, are further provided, with each ballistic shield being removablyreceived within a respective one of the pockets. Each pocket ispositioned on the respective leg portion such that the respectiveballistic shield received therein covers the wearer's femoral artery.

The undershirt includes a main body portion, a pair of sleeves and aneck portion, as is conventionally known. A pair of sleeve pockets areprovided, with each sleeve pocket being secured to a respective one ofthe sleeves. A front pocket is further secured to a front panel of themain body portion, and a pair of sleeve ballistic shields and a frontballistic shield are removably received within the respective sleevepockets and front pocket. A rear pocket may similarly be secured to arear panel of the main body portion, by stitching or the like, forremovably receiving a rear ballistic shield.

These and other features of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon further review of the following specification anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, partially exploded, perspective view of aset of ballistic shield support undergarments according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded, perspective view of a pair of underpantsof the set of ballistic shield support undergarments according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is an anatomical diagram illustrating positioning of the femoralartery in relation to a human thigh.

FIG. 4A is a partially exploded, front perspective view of an undershirtof the set of ballistic shield support undergarments according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 4B is a partially exploded, rear perspective view of an undershirtof the set of ballistic shield support undergarments according to thepresent invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a user wearing a set of ballistic shield supportundergarments. The ballistic shield support undergarments areundergarments for use by soldiers, tactical personnel and the like,providing comfortable support for ballistic shielding, without limitingthe wearer's dexterity or freedom of movement. The ballistic shieldsupport undergarments include both underpants 10 and an undershirt 12,preferably worn as a set, as shown.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the pair of undershorts 10 include a waistportion 32 and a pair of leg portions 34, as is conventionally known. Apair of pockets 14 are provided, with each pocket 14 being secured to arespective one of the leg portions 34 by stitching or the like.Preferably, each pocket 14 has a substantially U-shaped contour, with anupper, substantially linear opening 16, and a closed, arcuate lower end.

A pair of ballistic shields 18, such as small arms protective inserts(SAPIs), level IIIa ballistic covers or the like, are further provided,with each ballistic shield 18 being removably received within arespective one of the pockets 14. It should be understood that SAPIs 18are shown for exemplary purposes only, and that any suitable type ofballistic shield may be utilized. It should be further understood thatthe contouring and relative dimensions of pockets 14 may be varied,dependent upon the type of ballistic shielding being used.

FIG. 3 illustrates the positioning of the femoral artery FA with respectto the thigh T of a typical human leg. Each pocket 14 is positioned onthe respective leg portion 34 such that the respective ballistic shield18 received therein covers and protects the wearer's femoral artery FA.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the undershirt 12 includes a main bodyportion 36, a pair of sleeves 38 and a neck portion 40, as isconventionally known. A pair of sleeve pockets 26 are provided, witheach sleeve pocket 26 being secured to a respective one of the sleeves38, by stitching or the like. A front pocket 20 is further secured to afront panel 21 of the main body portion 36, and a pair of sleeveballistic shields 30 and a front ballistic shield 24 are removablyreceived within the respective sleeve pockets 26 and front pocket 20. Arear pocket 42 may similarly be secured to a rear panel 23 of the mainbody portion 36, by stitching or the like, for removably receiving arear ballistic shield.

The sleeve ballistic shields 30, the front ballistic shield 24, and therear ballistic shield may be small arms protective inserts (SAPIs),level IIIa ballistic covers or any other suitable type of ballisticshield. It should be understood that the contouring and relativedimensions of pockets 20, 26 and 42 may be varied, dependent upon thetype of ballistic shielding being used. Further, as shown, each sleevepocket 26 preferably has a substantially U-shaped contour, with anupper, substantially linear opening 28, and a closed, arcuate lower end.Similarly, front pocket 20 preferably has a substantially U-shapedcontour, with an upper, substantially linear opening 22, and a closed,arcuate lower end. Rear pocket 42 is preferably configured in a similarmanner.

Undershorts 10 are preferably configured similarly to conventionalcompression shorts, dimensioned and contoured to be form-fitting whenworn about the wearer's waist and mid or lower thigh. Undershorts 10 maybe formed from spandex or the like. Undershirt 12 is preferably formedfrom a similar material and is also dimensioned and configured to beform fitting, similar to a conventional bicycling shirt.

As noted above, any suitable type of ballistic shielding may be used.The National Institute of Justice (NU) grades levels of body armor. Theballistic shields may be one of the classification types of the NationalInstitute of Justice, which consist of Type I, Type Ia, Type II, TypeIIIa, Type III, and Type IV. Preferably, graded level IIIa, utilizingeighteen layers of ballistic material, is used. Grade II uses fifteenlayers of ballistic material and is capable of stopping a bullet firedby a 357 Magnum at a velocity of 1,395 feet per second. The same gradelevel stops a 9-mm bullet fired at a velocity of 1,175 feet per second.The level III protection stops a 7.63 NATO round of bullets traveling ata velocity of 2,750 feet per second.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to theembodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims.

1. A ballistic shield support undergarment, comprising: a pair ofundershorts having a waist portion and a pair of leg portions; a pair ofpockets, each of the pockets being attached to a respective one of theleg portions; and a pair of ballistic shields, each of the ballisticshields being removably received within a respective one of the pockets,each of the pockets being positioned on the respective leg portion sothat the respective ballistic shield received therein covers a wearer'sfemoral artery when the undergarment is worn.
 2. The ballistic shieldsupport undergarment as recited in claim 1, wherein each said pocket hasa closed lower end and an open upper end.
 3. The ballistic shieldsupport undergarment as recited in claim 2, wherein each said ballisticshield is a small arms protective insert.
 4. The ballistic shieldsupport undergarment as recited in claim 2, wherein each said ballisticshield is a level IIIa ballistic cover.
 5. A ballistic shield supportundergarment, comprising: an undershirt having a main body portion, apair of sleeves and a neck portion; a pair of sleeve pockets, each ofthe sleeve pockets being attached to a respective one of the sleeves; afront pocket attached to a front panel of the main body portion; a pairof sleeve ballistic shields, each of the sleeve ballistic shields beingremovably received within a respective one of the sleeve pockets; and afront ballistic shield removably received within the front pocket. 6.The ballistic shield support undergarment as recited in claim 5, whereinthe main body portion has a rear panel, the undergarment furthercomprising: a rear pocket attached to the rear panel of the main bodyportion; and a rear ballistic shield removably received within the rearpocket.
 7. The ballistic shield support undergarment as recited in claim6, wherein each of said sleeve, front and rear pockets has a closedlower end and an open upper end.
 8. The ballistic shield supportundergarment as recited in claim 7, wherein each of said sleeveballistic shields, said front ballistic shield and said rear ballisticshield comprises a small arms protective insert.
 9. The ballistic shieldsupport undergarment as recited in claim 7, wherein each of said sleeveballistic shields, said front ballistic shield and said rear ballisticshield comprises a level IIIa ballistic cover.
 10. A set of ballisticshield support undergarments, comprising: a pair of undershorts having awaist portion and a pair of leg portions; a pair of leg pockets, each ofthe leg pockets being attached to a respective one of the leg portions;a pair of leg ballistic shields, each of the leg ballistic shields beingremovably received within a respective one of the leg pockets, each ofthe leg pockets being positioned on the respective leg portion so thatthe respective leg ballistic shield received therein covers a wearer'sfemoral artery when the undershorts are worn; an undershirt having amain body portion, a pair of sleeves and a neck portion, the main bodyportion having a front panel; a pair of sleeve pockets, each of thesleeve pockets being attached to a respective one of the sleeves; afront pocket attached to the front panel of the main body portion; apair of sleeve ballistic shields, each of the sleeve ballistic shieldsbeing removably received within a respective one of the sleeve pockets;and a front ballistic shield removably received within the front pocket.11. The set of ballistic shield support undergarments as recited inclaim 10, wherein the main body portion of said undershirt has a rearpanel, said undershirt further comprising: a rear pocket attached to therear panel of the main body portion; and a rear ballistic shieldremovably received within the rear pocket.
 12. The set of ballisticshield support undergarments as recited in claim 11, wherein each ofsaid leg, sleeve, front and rear pockets has a closed lower end and anopen upper end.
 13. The set of ballistic shield support undergarments asrecited in claim 12, wherein each of said leg ballistic shields, saidsleeve ballistic shields, said front ballistic shield and said rearballistic shield comprises a small arms protective insert.
 14. The setof ballistic shield support undergarments as recited in claim 12,wherein each of said wherein each of said leg ballistic shields, saidsleeve ballistic shields, said front ballistic shield and said rearballistic shield comprises a level IIIa ballistic cover.